In this episode of Collaborative Connections, host Ericka Clinton speaks with Scott White, a 61-year-old airline pilot with 38 years of flying experience and a skin cancer survivor. This is the first episode in the podcast's skin cancer awareness series, and Scott's story offers a unique and often overlooked perspective on UV exposure risk. Having spent 28 of his 38 flying years in the right seat of the aircraft, Scott began connecting the dots when pre-cancerous areas and diagnosed cancers appeared almost exclusively on the right side of his body. He shares what pilots were told about cockpit window protection, why that turned out to be incorrect, and how a new generation of pilots is beginning to take sun safety seriously.

Scott also opens up about his diagnoses, including basal cell carcinoma on his right arm, squamous cell carcinoma requiring two Mohs procedures on his right cheek totaling more than 60 stitches, and a squamous cell carcinoma discovered in the white of his right eye. He discusses the psychological weight of treatment, the fear of losing his FAA medical certificate and his career, and what the healing process actually looked like compared to what he was told to expect. The episode closes with Scott's advice to fellow pilots and a candid conversation about how his wife, an esthetician, has shaped both his awareness and his daily skin care habits.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• Occupational UV exposure risk for airline pilots
• How seat position in the cockpit correlates with skin cancer location on the body
• The myth that cockpit windows provide UV protection
• Changing sun safety habits among a new generation of pilots
• Cosmic radiation at altitude and emerging cancer concerns for flight crews
• Overview of Scott's skin cancer diagnoses and treatment timeline
• Discovery of squamous cell carcinoma in the white of the eye
• Mohs surgery experience on the face and arm
• The psychological toll of skin cancer treatment
• Fear of losing FAA medical certification and career
• The FAA's evolving position on pilot sun protection
• Why skin cancer deserves to be taken as seriously as other cancers
• Recovery, body image, and healing from facial surgery
• Lifelong monitoring, interferon eye drops, and ongoing FAA compliance
• Gaps in pre-procedure education and healing expectations
• Post-diagnosis skin care and the value of regular dermatology follow-up
• The role of an esthetician spouse in awareness and referral habits
• Advice for pilots who have not yet addressed skin cancer risk

View extended shownotes here

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